Submarine emergency towing rigging system

ABSTRACT

Submarine towline rigging apparatus comprising a permanent pendant secured at one end at the base of the sail and removably attached at the top of the sail. When a towboat is nearby, a man on the sail can attach the removable end of the pendant to a chafing pendant to which a towline is affixed. The towline is then tossed overboard. The towboat picks it up and moves across the sub&#39;&#39;s hull at a safe distance, causing the towline to sweep over the hull. A split chock is located at the bow end of the hull. Each half of the chock can be independently elevated above the hull from its normal, under-the-hull position. Depending on the direction of sweep of the towline, one of the chock halves can be elevated to catch the line and then the other can be elevated to close the chock loop.

United States Patent OR 3.897.746 SR Jamieson Q2. 5 Q QMV Aug. 5, 1975 [75] Inventor: Robert D. Jamieson, Bowie, Md

[73] Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy, Washington, DC.

[22] Filed: Jan. 16, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 433,644

[52] US. Cl 114/235 A; 114/218; 114/235 R [51] Int. Cl. B63B 21/04 [58] Field of Search 114/235 A, 235 B, 235 R, 114/218, 230,16 R; 24/115 C; 244/110 G [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,149,807 8/1915 Bascom 114/235 A 1,299,529 4/1919 Young 114/218 1,402,496 l/1922 Hoffman 114/218 2,861,535 11/1958 Hutchison et al..,. 114/235 A 3,125,978 3/1964 Faul 114/218 PERMANENT PENDANT )IN DEPLOYED POSITION Primary Examiner-Trygve M, Blix Assistant ExaminerCharles E. Frankfort Attorney, Agent, or Firm-R. S. Sciascia; P. Schneider [57] ABSTRACT Submarine towline rigging apparatus comprising a permanent pendant secured at one end at the base of the sail and removably attached at the top of the sail. When a towboat is nearby, a man on the sail can attach the removable end of the pendant to a chafing pendant to which a towline is affixed. The towline is then tossed overboard. The towboat picks it up and moves across the subs hull at a safe distance, causing the towline to sweep over the hull. A split chock is located at the bow end of the hull. Each half of the chock can be independently elevated above the hull from its normal, under-the-hull position. Depending on the direction of sweep of the towline, one of the chock halves can be elevated to catch the line and then the other can be elevated to close the chock loop.

5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PERMANENT PENDANT IN STOWED POSITION (SAIL. i PAD I6 pmgmgmut; 51915 SHEET MEANS FOR 32 INDEPENDENTLY ELEVATING CHOCK SECTIONS CHOCK RETRACTED SUBMARINE EMERGENCY TOWING RIGGING SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the towing of submarines and especially to towing apparatus which can be rigged without the necessity for having a man on the submarine deck.

A typical towing installation for a submarine comprises a towing padeye, a pelican hook, a chafing pendant, a closed chock on the bow and a nylon towing hawser. The padeye is usually located at the base of the sail where it can be foundationed to the bridge trunk ring stiffeners. The pelican hook is employed to give the capacity for quick release of the towline in case of emergency. A towing pendant of wire or chain is used to'prevent excessive wear of that portion of the towline that contacts the hull of the submarine. The bow chock provides means for making the tow point as far forward on the hull as possible and permits the towline to pull from any direction. A towline of double-braided nylon is provided to ensure nonrotation of the hawser under load, shock absorbtion and ease of stowage and handling.

The difficulties that arise with the present towing arrangement are those related to rigging the two gear in a seaway. Since the arrangement of the gear used for towing a submarine is similar to that on a surface ship, difficulties arise in rigging because of the different seakeeping qualities of submarines and surface ships. What would be moderate seas aboard a destroyer would be a decks-awash situation aboard a submarine. Men should not be required to venture out on the open deck of a submarine with waves washing over it, much less try to manhandle heavy tow gear in an attempt to rig it.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention comprises means for rigging a towline from the sail of a submarine, tossing the towline overboard, having a towboat pick up the line and attach it to a split chock on the hull of the sub by moving across the subs bow at a safe distance. A split chock, each half of which can be elevated separately from inside the sub, captures and secures the towline when it sweeps across the hull.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION An object of the invention is to rig a submarine towline without the necessity of having a man on deck.

Another object is to rig a submarine towline only thru the efforts of man on the sail of the sub and the movement of the towboat.

A further object is to move the tow point for a subs towline as far forward as mechanically possible without taking into consideration whether it is above or below the waterline.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a pictorial representation in side view of the front section of the hull of a submarine with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a pictorial representation inv top view of the front section section of the hull of a submarine showing the towline in various stages of the rigging process.

FIGS. 3A-C are pictorial representations of the split chock in various stages of elevation and non-elevation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIG. 1 shows in side view the. front section of the hull 10 of a submarine. The means for rigging the towline comprises a permanent pendant 16 which is permanently attached at one end to a pad 14 at the base of the sail 12. In its non-towing position (shown in dashed line), the other end is removably secured at the top of the sail where it can be handled by a man on-the sail.

When a tow is desired and the towboat is nearby, a man on the sail attaches to the removable end of the pendant 16 a wire on the sail attaches to the removable end of the pendant 16 a wire chafing pendant 18 to the other end of which is attached one end of a towline 22, preferably nylon. The man then tosses the' towline 22 overboard and the towboat (not shown) picks it up and moves across the bow of the sub to the other side of the hull 10, at a safe distance from the sub, of course.

FIG. 2 shows the position 24 of the towline when it is first thrown over the side. The line is then hauled around (position 26) toward the other side of the hull. As the line comes past the chock 20, it is caught by the chock and held there. The line is in position 28 when the towboat finally arrives at the other side of the hull. If the towboat starts at the other side (upper side in FIG. 2) of the hull, the line positions will be reversed.

FIG. 3A shows the split chock 20 in its normal position below the shell of the hull 10. The chock is divided into two, mirror-image, individually elevatable sections a left section 21 and a right section 21' (left and right as seen in FIG. 3). The left and right sections close at the base and curve around in two arms which again meet to form a closed internal loop 30. If the towboat is on the right side of the hull 10 (as seen in FIG. 3), and will move to the left side with the towline, the left section 21 of the chock is raised above the hull (FIG. 3B) and catches the line as it moves across the hull.

The right section 21' of the chock is then elevated to.

secure the line in the oval loop 30 so that the line cannot be lost by the chock 20. The towboat can then begin towing the sub.

Of course, altho the line 22 is called a towline, it can also be used to secure the forward part of the hull to a ship or a clock.

The means 34 for independently elevating the chock sections 21, 21' may be any one of several well-known devices for performing motive functions through a submarine hull.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. Means for rigging a towline to a submarine, using a man on the sail of the submarine rather than on the deck, comprising, in combination:

a permanent pendant permanently secured at one end to the sail at the bow end of the sail, the other end of the pendant being removably attached to the top of the sail at a position reachable by a man standing at the top of the sail;

split into two mirror-image sections which meet at two points to form an interior closed-loop section, said chock means being normally located below the outer shell of the hull, but each section being elevatable from a remote location to extend outside the hull, so that each section can capture said towline means when it is swept into its part of said loop section. 4. Means as in claim 3, wherein said first cable means said chock normally being located below the outer is permanently secured at the base of Said SaiL shell of the hull, but each section being independently elevatable from a remote location to extend outside the hull, so that each section can capture said towline when it is swept into its part of the loop section. 2. Means as in claim 1, wherein said permanent pendant is secured at the base of said sail.

3. Means for rigging a towline to a submarine, using a man on the sail of the submarine rather than on the deck, comprising in combination:

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thesail at its.bow.endathewothersendof aid. ca ble m ih lllg 16m9Y3DULQHQSPQQlQ h tonpf th szuLaLaposition.reachable .by a man standing at the tzpfth s wans resistant to chafing for attachment at one end to the removable end of said first cable means;

to vline means attachable at one end to the other end o f s aid second cable means; and

chock means located near the bow end of the deck side of the hull, said chock means being vertically 5. Means for rigging a towline to a submarine, using a man on the sail of the submarine rather than on the deck, comprising in combination:

cable means permanently secured at one end to the sail at its bow end, the other end of said cable means being removably attached to the top of the sail at a position reachable by a man standing at the top of the sail; towline means for attachment at one end to the removable end of said cable means; and chock means located near the bow end of the deck side of the hull, said chock means being vertically split into two mirror-image sections which meet at two points to form an interior closed-loop section, said chock means being normally located below the outer shell of the hull, but each section being elevatable from a remote location to extend outside the hull, so that each section can capture said towline means when the latter is swept into its part of 

1. Means for rigging a towline to a submarine, using a man on the sail of the submarine rather than on the deck, comprising, in combination: a permanent pendant permanently secured at one end to the sail at the bow end of the sail, the other end of the pendant being removably attached to the top of the sail at a position reachable by a man standing at the top of the sail; a chafing pendant for attachment at one end to the removably attachable end of the permanent pendant; a towline attachable at one end to the other end of said chAfing pendant; and a split chock located near the bow end of the deck side of the hull of the submarine, said chock being of the type containing a closed loop within a pair of curved arms, said chock normally being located below the outer shell of the hull, but each section being independently elevatable from a remote location to extend outside the hull, so that each section can capture said towline when it is swept into its part of the loop section.
 2. Means as in claim 1, wherein said permanent pendant is secured at the base of said sail.
 3. Means for rigging a towline to a submarine, using a man on the sail of the submarine rather than on the deck, comprising in combination: first cable means permanently secured at one end to the sail at its bow end, the other end of said cable means being removably attached to the top of the sail at a position reachable by a man standing at the top of the sail; second cable means resistant to chafing for attachment at one end to the removable end of said first cable means; towline means attachable at one end to the other end of said second cable means; and chock means located near the bow end of the deck side of the hull, said chock means being vertically split into two mirror-image sections which meet at two points to form an interior closed-loop section, said chock means being normally located below the outer shell of the hull, but each section being elevatable from a remote location to extend outside the hull, so that each section can capture said towline means when it is swept into its part of said loop section.
 4. Means as in claim 3, wherein said first cable means is permanently secured at the base of said sail.
 5. Means for rigging a towline to a submarine, using a man on the sail of the submarine rather than on the deck, comprising in combination: cable means permanently secured at one end to the sail at its bow end, the other end of said cable means being removably attached to the top of the sail at a position reachable by a man standing at the top of the sail; towline means for attachment at one end to the removable end of said cable means; and chock means located near the bow end of the deck side of the hull, said chock means being vertically split into two mirror-image sections which meet at two points to form an interior closed-loop section, said chock means being normally located below the outer shell of the hull, but each section being elevatable from a remote location to extend outside the hull, so that each section can capture said towline means when the latter is swept into its part of said loop section. 